A second attempt
by Doc Lee
Summary: Spoilers for season three. The run up to a second attempt at a very important evening. Reviews welcome. Slightly heavy subject matter mentioned within.


Hello there! Not sure where this plot came from, but I've debated posting it for a couple of days as it kinda got away from me for a bit before I reigned it in. There is a bit of a heavy subject matter mentioned in this and I hope that this plot comes across as being sincere about the issue.

Set somewhere in season 3, probably the second half if my suspicions are right. So many spoilers abound.

Disclaimer - the people that own Arrow are the people that own Arrow. I man not one of those people.

* * *

The meeting before him stretched on for hours, even though in reality, Oliver was sat at the conference table for less than fifteen minutes. It has taken almost four months before the remains of Queen Consolidated were pulled together and returned to what remained of the Queen family, the board agreeing that the written agreement had been done under duress caused by Isobel's role in Slade's patience demolishing of Oliver's life. The only stipulation was that Oliver become the vice-CEO for a year to effectively train under Walter, who had graciously agreed to step in as CEO.

As part of his new role, Oliver was forced to take part in the numerous 'We have a plan and would like you're money to do it' meetings (as Felicity had babbled to him). Today's was no different, a small technology company had patented an ingenious light weight, yet strong material, but required increased funding to continue their research.

With the technical aspect of the meeting, Oliver had asked for Felicity, now head of the IT dept, to sit in and take notes for the inevitable questions he would have. What didn't help make the meeting go faster was the strange behaviour of Felicity and the very subtle actions of one of the people on the opposite side of the table.

'Mr Queen?' Felicity quietly spoke, her usual bubbly voice completely flat and lifeless, 'I'm terribly sorry, but a personal matter has arisen and I have to leave immediately. I have the automatic system running and I will have my assistant print the notes out for you after the meeting. I'm terribly sorry.'

'It's okay,' Oliver stared at Felicity in complete shock. His eyes bored into hers, shock hitting him like a roundhouse kick to the chest when he realised there was fear ghosting in her eyes, 'Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help, Miss Smoak?'

Following Felicity out the room with his eyes, Oliver's narrowed when she glanced at one of the men across from him, a disgusted grimace fleeting over her face just before she left the room. Oliver's attention turned to the confident looking man. Tall dark and smirking, Oliver could see everything he hated about his former self in him and he immediately vowed to get to the bottom of the mystery.

* * *

Oliver watched the small group enter the elevator, his attention focused more on the smug bastard than the entire party.

'Oliver!' He turned at the call of his name to see Walter heading towards him, 'How did the meeting go? Is it something we can invest in?'

'I...' Oliver winced, 'From what I understood of the science behind it all, I would say we should give them anything they need. Felicity was saying that this material could revolutionise the construction of satellites... But...'

'What is it?' Walter asked, taking in the pensive expression before him.

'I'm not sure the people are right,' Oliver shrugged, his mind bustling to collate the facts before him, 'One of the group had Felicity spooked enough that she made up an excuse to leave and I'm worried.'

'Are you sure it was an excuse Oliver?'

'That wasn't my...' Oliver gulped, 'That wasn't Felicity that told me she had to go. She was a shadow of her usual self and I saw a hint of fear in her eyes Walter. She was trying to hide it, but she was scared in that room today.'

'Take the rest of the day off,' Walter clapped his hand on Oliver's shoulder, 'Go find Miss Smoak and make sure she's okay.'

'Thank you,' Oliver smiled warmly, the friendship between the two men growing comfortably. Turning, he saw Diggle step away from his post in the corner of the lobby and call for an elevator.

'Oliver?' The eldest Queen paused in the entrance to the elevator, frowning, 'Will you please let me know if Miss Smoak is okay?'

'I will ' Oliver smiled.

* * *

'I'm okay,' Felicity stood in her doorway, her work attire changed out for what Oliver knew to be her 'comfortable Sunday afternoon outfit', her neutral face staring at him across her doorstep, 'Well... I'm... A woman.'

'I've noticed.'

'Well,' Felicity rolled her eyes, 'we women have certain issues...'

'I see...' Oliver's eyes flashed with understanding, 'Is there anything you need?'

'You to let me go curl up on my sofa with a tub of ice-cream and the latest season of... Whatever on Netflix.'

'Hey,' Oliver reached out to touch her arm, her sudden flinch stopping him in his tracks as his brain connected the final dots, 'Please don't hesitate to call me if you need anything Felicity.'

'I will,' Felicity whispered, suddenly seeming smaller than usual beside Oliver.

'Okay,' Oliver sighed, fighting the urge to pull her to him and wrap his arms around her not let her go. Instead he gave her a true smile and slowly walked back to where Dig was waiting in the car.

'Are you going to tell me what's going on here?' Diggle turned to Oliver and glared, 'I don't like being kept in the dark and if you've done anything to upset Felicity, then when you watch Sophie for us, I'll make sure she's as cranky as can be before we hand her over.'

'I...' Diggle's slight amusement evaporated at the look in Oliver's eyes, 'I think I put Felicity through a worst nightmare today. We need to go see Quentin, I'll fill you in on the way.'

* * *

The newly promoted Captain Lance sat behind his desk and took in the twin faces of deadly thunder before him.

'From what you've just told me,' Quentin Lance pondered, 'I'm also arriving at the same conclusion you two seem to have slammed into. I don't understand what it is you want me to do though. Felicity won't be making another allegation and I highly doubt new evidence will emerge.'

'I just need to know if I'm right Quentin,' Oliver pleaded, 'please.'

'No,' Lance shook his head resolutely.

'You're not going to even look to see if there's anything listed under his name?' Diggle found his voice quicker than Oliver, 'Why not?'

'Because I don't want to see him turn up later tonight with 15 arrows in his crotch!' Lance glared, 'Despite how much I'd agree with that happening if your suspicions are correct, Miss Smoak would have your balls served up to the both of you tomorrow.'

Lance bit back the smirk when he watched Oliver pale before visibly pulling himself bad together, 'The first Count was understandable. Life or death. This would be pure revenge.'

'But..' Oliver bit back his response. Huffing out a long breath, Oliver stood, holding his hand out for Lance to shake, 'Thank you anyway Captain Lance.'

'Just keeping an eye on your back Oliver,' Lance stood and shook Oliver's hand, 'Lord knows it takes a team to do it.'

Diggle stayed quiet until the two were in the car, 'He knows.'

'It appears so,' Oliver nodded absentmindedly.

'Should we be worried?' Diggle glanced over.

'I doubt it,' Oliver shrugged, 'I've been wondering recently about if he knew and what he'd do.'

'Looks like we have an answer,' Diggle replied.

'Speaking of answers...' Oliver trailed off nervously. Pulling out his phone, Oliver pressed the speed dial, 'Speedy, are you busy?'

* * *

Captain Lance waited a full hour after Oliver had left before he searched the SCPD database for anything listed under Felicity's name. Two files appeared, Lance closing the one created just before the undertaking. The second file had the father growling dangerously.

'Maybe I should let you have at this scumbag, Queen.' Lance glanced at the photo frame of his daughters he had on his desk. Picking up his phone, Lance spoke gruffly into the receiver, 'Charleston? Get in here right now. I have a scumbag I want you to run one of your intense background checks on.'

* * *

The soft tapping on the window of her front door woke Felicity from the slumber she'd slipped into under the sinfully warm blanket she had wrapped around herself. Stretching, she tried to tame her wild hair as she padded across to her front door.

'Oliver, I...' Felicity's jaw dropped as she realised she had the wrong Queen, 'Thea! Come in!'

'I'm sorry for dropping by like this,' Thea had been surprised by her brother's out of the blue request. The fear she could hear under his voice was one she'd only heard twice before, 'I was just passing by and I saw your car here and I... Well, I was surprised and a little concerned as to why you're here during work hours.'

'Thea,' Felicity smiled warmly, 'he called you didn't he?'

'Drat,' Thea chuckled, 'we Queens can't keep anything from you can we?'

'Nope.'

'He's terrified Lis,' Thea stepped into the living room and slumped onto the couch, copying Felicity's movements, 'When he called me earlier I could hear just how worried he was. I've only heard him like that twice since he returned. Both times someone he loved was in danger.'

'I'm not in danger...' Felicity grimaced, 'I mean...'

'But he thinks you are,' Thea spoke cautiously, 'or that you were and one of the people in the meeting today was the cause of that.'

'Greg,' Felicity gulped, 'Greg Newman. He and I were friendly classmates in our last semester at high school.'

'Did he hurt you?' Thea knew the answer from the way Felicity's started fiddling with the blanket.

'Four broken ribs,' Felicity breathed, 'a broken left ankle, concussion and a multiple number of various scrapes, bruises and swelling.'

'Shit,' Thea gasped.

'He thought that a date should end with sex,' Felicity scoffed, 'And I had no say in it. I slammed my knee into his crotch and ran... Straight into the part of a pick up. Woke up a week later with no memory of the night at all.'

Thea stared at the blonde before her in complete shock, her brain attempting to give her speech, but failing.

'It was six months later that my memory returned,' Felicity shuddered, 'I was happily thriving in my Computing course at MIT. I attempted to file charges, but he has a rich dad who threw his weight and check book around to block me at every turn.'

'What happened?' Thea whispered.

'I was sat across from him when the case was formally dropped,' Felicity's hand tightened around the blanket, 'in a conference room not unlike the one in QC. He had the same smirk on his face today that he held back then and I...'

'It's okay,' Thea watched Felicity shudder.

'Why?' the bottle blonde turned to the heiress, 'It's been three years since the last time I saw him, and that was before I started colouring my hair, which I didn't start doing because of him I should add... Well, not really.'

'Why did you change your hair colour?' Thea asked, genuinely intrigued.

'I used to earn a little extra cash by babysitting,' Felicity grinned, 'Gave me a steady income and quiet time to do my studying... Or as it turned out, learning to hack.'

'Kacey Kimmins,' Felicity's grin faltered, 'Four years old and an absolute terror. She thought,on finding me focused on my laptop, it would be funny to use gorilla glue and stick glitter in my hair.'

'Oh God!' Thea gasped, her hand flicking up to her recently re-styled hair, 'How bad?'

'I went from mid-back to a bob,' Felicity sighed wistfully, 'I loved my long dark hair. The Kimmins offered to take me to their big fancy hairdressers for free and while I was there Karen,' Felicity blinked, 'huh... They sure did like the letter K in that family...'

'Anyway,' Felicity ignored the giggle from Thea, 'Karen decided I needed a makeover and she offered to pay for me to change my hair colour as well.'

'I just looked at the dark hair on the floor and was suddenly reminded of the way Greg had grabbed it and how it looked between his fingers. I let Karen pick any colour she wanted.'

'I liked it,' Felicity shrugged, 'When it was over I liked the blonde look and I've kept it ever since. Are you going to tell Oliver?'

'Despite all the shit I pulled because I hated secrets,' Thea fiddled with a thread on her jeans, 'I'm going to keep this between us, but you really should tell him.'

'I can't do that,' Felicity's face turned white, 'He'll kill him.'

'Then give him a reason to stay with you,' Thea smirked naughtily, 'maybe give him a taste of what you two missed out on when that date went sideways.'

'I got blown up!' Felicity pointed at the tiny scar by her hairline, 'Blown up deserves a bigger description than Sideways!'

'So it was a FUBAR then!' Thea shrugged, 'And I can't believe that little nick could have bled as bady as Oliver said it did.'

'I ruined a thousand dollar dress!' Felicity blurted, 'and I never got to use the new bra and panties I bought for him to take off...' Felicity's face almost exploded, the red stain spreading down her neck. Thea nearly slid off the couch as she laughed loudly.

Felicity sat and waited for the younger woman to calm herself before opening her mouth, 'Sorry, that was definitely TMI.'

'A little bit,' Thea shrugged, Felicity almost seeing the lightbulb appearing over her head when she gasped, 'Oh! I know what you can do!'

'What?' Felicity warily asked.

'Tell him while wearing the underwear!' Thea smirked, 'Distract him with your beauty!'

'God no!' Felicity giggled, 'I couldn't do that. You should do it!'

'You want me to tell my brother what happened while wearing just your fancy bra and panties?' Thea watched Felicity choke on air, 'Hell no!'

'That...' Felicity groaned, 'Oh god, that is now what I meant and you know it! You should tell your brother about Greg for me, and you should do it fully clothed in your own clothes, not mine!'

'Good,' Thea's eyes flicked down to Felicity's chest, 'Because you're clearly bigger than me and I'd end up giving Oliver quite the eyeful!'

* * *

The lair was deathly quiet, both Felicity and Thea stood holding their breath while Oliver computed the information revealed. The bottle blonde gulped loudly as various emotions ghosted across his face, Thea's hand squeezing hers reassuringly.

'I made you sit there and be my assistant,' Oliver turned to Felicity, regret pouring from him, 'In front of that cretin.'

'Oliver?' Thea frowned, his response unexpected.

'He gets off on the power,' Oliver spoke slowly, his eyes locking on Felicity's, 'And I put you in a position that made it look as though he'd won again, that he was better than you.'

'He didn't recognise me Oliver,' Felicity explained, 'Thats what helped make it so stupidly bad for me, that he didn't even recognise me for me. If he had, I don't think I would have reacted like that.'

'I'm sorry Felicity,' Oliver's face shone with sincerity, 'If I had known...'

'You'd have turned him into a human pin cushion,' Felicity shrugged, stepping forward and letting go of Thea's hand, 'Which is why I never told you about him. The other day was the first time I'd even thought about him since before I left Vegas. I'm okay Oliver, you don't need to go all macho caveman on him for me.'

'I'm still upset I put you in the same room with him,' Oliver reached out and grasped Felicity's hand, his thumb stroking over her soft skin.

'Apology accepted,' Felicity ducked her head, a shy smile on her lips. Neither noticed Thea quietly leaving the room.

* * *

'If you ask me if I'm sure about this one more time Oliver, I will...' Felicity whispered as they stood just outside the conference room, Walter smiling warmly as he approached, 'Mr Steele!'

'I've told you countless times to call me Walter,' The Brit laughed, 'After all, the Arrow did tell me as I was being rescued that I owed it to you and your skills, which means you have every right to call me Walter. I'm very glad to see you're feeling better today.'

'Thank you Mr... I mean Walter,' Felicity nodded, a faint blush on her cheeks, 'I'm feeling much better. You have Thea to thank for my speedy return. She makes a great sick day buddy.'

'I have experienced that a few times over the years,' Walter chuckled, 'I see your meeting has gathered together Oliver. Remember what we talked about last night.'

'I will,' Oliver nodded, Walter smiling at a confused Felicity before heading back down the corridor. Seeing the confusion, Oliver smirked, 'Trust me.'

John's deep chuckle echoed down the corridor, the bodyguard's silence broken when Felicity had quietly blurted, 'Oh God!', and followed Oliver into the conference room.

* * *

'I trust everything is in order Mr Queen,' the head of the company spoke, a hint of nerves on his voice at the pivotal moment in the negotiations.

'Almost,' Oliver felt the familiar sensation of Felicity's eyes locking onto him, 'I have a couple of questions to ask before we make it official.'

'We are an open book,' The balding man tried for levity, but missed.

'What does Mr Newman do for the company Alan?' Oliver opened a folder, 'As I cannot find anything that properly explains his role in the company and the research.'

'Greg has provided capital for the initial stages of the research,' Alan turned to Greg, 'we also have managed to receive numerous grants and subsidies from various legislative committees that have bolstered our research funds no end. All because of Greg and his family's contacts.'

'I see,' Oliver closed the folder, his face turning stony, 'that ends right here, right now. If you want Queen Consolidated to finance the next stage of your research, then Mr Newman cannot be part of the company. I have spoken to Mr Steele and we are both in agreement over this.'

'I knew it,' Greg scoffed, a look of scorn thrown across the table, 'You should watch out with this one Queen. Smoaky plays all coy and flirty, then she cries foul when you get her hot and bothered. Not surprised she's your little secretary. I bet she's very good at keeping you excited for all these meetings.'

'Miss Smoak's role in this company is the ultimate head of the various IT divisions,' Oliver's voice filled with pride, 'That means she is currently in charge of around four hundred people and has personally brought in near to $15 million to this company from patents she's created. She understands the science behind your research and creation, which has meant she can translate the things I don't understand into caveman-talk. She is not a secretary, she has never been a secretary and she never will be.'

'I'm going to make it simple Alan,' Oliver leant towards Alan, 'If you want Queen Consolidated to give you effectively a blank chequebook for your research, then Newman cannot be part of your company in any form. It's him, or us.'

'I only hired him because his father made it an integral part of the financing deal way back then,' Alan sighed, reaching out for his glass of water, the fluid sloshing as his hand shook slightly, 'I knew about the rumours of your behaviour over the years Greg, but I truly believed this material was important enough to look past your disturbing past. If it weren't for your father demanding all $50 million of his investment back if I fired you, I'd have done it years ago.'

'We would be more than happy to pay the fee to shut his family up,' Oliver heard the tiny intake of breath beside him, 'It's...'

The main doors to the room opened and Captain Lance strode in flanked by two beat cops, 'Greg Newman?'

'Y-yes?' The man shrank into his chair as the officers approached him.

'You're under arrest on three counts of alleged rape,' Lance icily bit out, his face like thunder, Newman was made to stand and the cold metal cuffs were roughly snapped onto his wrists.

The room watched as Newman was read his rights and lead away, Lance and Oliver sharing a look before Quentin apologised to the table and quickly left the room.

'I guess that just leaves me with two things to say,' Alan sighed, turning to Felicity, 'Ifi am correct, then I owe you a big apology Miss Smoak.'

'None needed,' Felicity smiled gently, a firmness in her voice as she turned to glare at Oliver, 'But thank you.'

'And the other thing?' Oliver's body language was greatly relaxed now Newman was gone.

'Where do I sign?' Alan grinned, holding a fancy pen aloft.

* * *

'Am I weak?' Oliver looked up from his desk, finding Felicity standing in his office, the door firmly closed behind her.

'Huh?'

'Am I weak?' Felicity stood her ground, her stubborn face clear to see, 'Is that why you keep on playing protector to me? Haven't I proven myself yet?'

'I don't understand,' Oliver stood and approached Felicity, her raised palm halting him a few steps away from her.

'Don't you use that sexy suit to stop me from saying this Oliver,' Felicity's eye twitched, 'I thought you saw me as an equal.'

'I...' Oliver was cut off by the blonde.

'I don't need you fighting all my battles, or having Lance arrest grabby bastards that i'd gotten over years ago,' Felicity barked, 'I'm a big girl Oliver. I can handle shit sometimes.'

'You don't think I know that?' Oliver stared agog, 'Felicity, you aren't weak. Far from it.'

'I know that Oliver!' Felicity threw her hands in the air, 'But you keep on swooping in and trying to fix shit that isn't broken anymore instead of fixing what is!'

'I don't...' Oliver trailed off at the look Felicity sent him, her eyes filling with tears.

'This,' Felicity motioned between them, 'Us! We're broken and I can't fix that. Until you decide what you want, we're just going to end up having this same argument again and again because you're not going to stop trying to protect me and make me happy, but you won't let yourself be happy with me and you can't let me go.'

Oliver gulped slowly, his hand twitching against his leg.

'My grandmother was a crazy fun woman,' Felicity suddenly blurted, Oliver flinching at the sudden shift, 'She went skydiving when she was eighty-four. One of the rather colourful things she'd say was that too many people want to shit, but they never use the crapper.'

'I think I understand,' Oliver fought a grin.

'She was amazing Oliver,' Felicity sighed, the woman's cheeky laugh echoing in her head, 'But she had a point. You need to shit or get off the crapper.'

'Now... Thea wanted to spend tonight with Sin and me pigging out on pizza and ice-cream with a movie or two,' Felicity smiled softly, 'My place is a mess, it's going to take me ages to make it suitable and i can see you have a lot to think about.'

Turning away from Oliver was excruciatingly hard for Felicity to do, her fear that Oliver couldn't take that final leap screaming for her to go back as she walked down the corridor.

* * *

'He did what?' Sin coughed around her mouthful of popcorn.

'He had Lance storm in halfway and arrest the asshole,' Felicity grumbled, re-filling her glass of wine, 'Just to show off.'

'I highly doubt that Lis,' Thea turned to the unexpected fourth person in the room, 'Can you call your dad and see if that's true?'

Sara shrugged, the Assassin gate crashing the evening to reveal she was going to be back in town for a while, 'I can try, but I don't think he's able to talk about on-going investigations.'

'Please,' Thea threw the puppy-dog eyes at the older woman.

'I'll try,' Sara rolled her eyes and slipped quietly out the room, the murmur of her voice drifting out the kitchen.

'So what did Oliver say when you confronted him about it?' Thea asked cautiously, Felicity's mind focused on her kitchen, causing Thea to repeat the question.

'I didn't really confront him about it,' Felicity blushed, 'And I barely gave him time to really talk before I stormed out. I'm just tired of it all. Of him keeping me stuck like this.'

'Just out of reach,' Thea sighed, 'But close enough to feel the heat? That's how it's been for me and Roy since my time away. I don't know how to make him see that I know how moronic I was not to trust him, that going with Merlyn was the worst mistake I've ever made.'

'Dad said Ollie went to see him yesterday,' Sara returned to the room, 'He tried to get Dad to tell him if there was anything in the system about you. He told him his suspicions and Dad said he couldn't show Ollie anything.'

'But...' Sin saw the unfinished look on the woman that had sheltered her.

'Dad has taken a shine to you Felicity,' The woman in question blushed, her hands fiddling with her wine glass, 'He decided to do a little digging himself. he turned up other offences and arrested him on that. He told me that Ollie had no clue he was going to arrest him at the meeting, and that he'd not realised Oliver was at the meeting until he entered the room to arrest him.'

'Oh...' Felicity muttered quietly, the reply almost missed by her doorbell ringing. Sin shot to her feet and scurried to the door.

'Who is it?' Thea peered over the couch to see a confused and slightly creeped out Sin returning with a box and a small card, 'What?'

'I don't understand this message...' Sin handed Felicity the card, 'But this bottle looks expensive.'

'Is that a Lafite Rothschild 1982?' Sara frowned at the bottle, taking it from Sin's hands carefully. Felicity's loud gasp snapped the room to her, 'What?'

'Oh god,' Felicity gulped, her hands starting to shake.

'Lis?' Sara carefully placed the bottle on the table and crouched beside the couch, Sin leaning over the back and shrugging when Thea looked at her. Sara reached out and took the white card from her fingers. Her eyes ran over the four words hand written on the card and she blinked.

'I know,' Sin grimaced, 'That's Queen's handwriting, but I can't understand why he'd write that to anyone, let alone Blondie.'

Felicity's face shifted, a slightly manic giggle bubbling out of the face splitting smile she suddenly wore.

'How much has she had to drink?' Sara turned to Sin.

'Not enough,' Felicity turned to Sara, her face shifting again as she looked down at her comfy clothes, 'Oh God, I need to get changed!'

The three women watched Felicity jump off the couch and scurry up her staircase.

'Has anyone got any idea what the hell is going on right now?' Sara huffed, Thea staring at the card thoughtfully. The young heiress gasped and sprinted up the stair shouting Felicity's name.

'I seriously don't understand people sometimes,' Sin grumbled, leaping over the back of the couch and grabbing a handful of popcorn.

* * *

Oliver Queen was nervous, both Diggle and Roy could see it as they trained in the corner of the rebuilt lair. They watched him prowl between the various workout equipment Felicity had installed around the new Salmon Ladder, tension and nerves flowing off him.

'Dude,' Roy turned towards Oliver when Diggle called for a break, 'What the hell is with you tonight. This prowling has me really quite nervous.'

Oliver's glare was interrupted by the sound of the keypad on the main entrance being activated. Roy shared a confused glance with Diggle when Oliver suddenly turned to the nearby punching bag and began to pummel it relentlessly, but not before both men saw the fear invade his face.

'John,' Felicity's voice called out from the staircase, 'Take Roy and get out of here now.'

'Remember to wash the matting when you're done,' Diggle quipped as he dragged Roy past Felicity, both men noting the stunning dress she wore and the suit bag she had over her arm.

'I don't need that image in my head man!' Roy's cry was cut off by the lair door being slammed shut.

Felicity smiled softly, her heels clacking on the concrete floor as she approached Oliver. She watched him gulp, his Adams apple bob sharply, his eyes drinking in the deep green dress she'd uncovered in the back of her closet.

'Wow...' Felicity giggled when Oliver's face flushed, the muttered word evidently not meant to have been spoken.

'I owe you an apology,' Felicity reached the shirtless man, her hand twitching to touch his sweat-slick skin, 'Sara, who is back in town by the way, spoke to her father and it seems your failed visit ultimately set him off and he found the other allegations against Greg.'

'You're...' Oliver fought to keep his eyes from dropping to Felicity's cleavage, 'You're not weak Felicity. I've never intended to make you think that and I'm sorry that it seemed like I did.'

'I know you didn't,' Felicity's bright red lips twitched, 'I'm sorry for accusing you of that.'

Both laughed gently, their combined nerves bubbling up before Felicity held out the suit bag, 'Thea and I went back to the mansion and grabbed you a good suit, well, when I say we, I mean that I drove her over and she vaulted into your closet and emerged with this.'

'What for,' Oliver frowned.

'You and I have a reservation in an hour for Italian at Guiseppie's new place,' Felicity watched as Oliver's face tightened, 'Yeah, we're going there again. This time the only explosions will be the ones we make in private afterwards.'

Oliver gulped hotly, the fear in his eyes mixing with desire, 'Felicity...'

'Don't you dare back out mister!' The blonde glared, 'Not this time. I think this week has shown you that you don't own the monopoly on being able to hurt me. I know you're scared Oliver, I am too!'

'But I also know that you weren't lying when you told me you loved me,' Felicity waggled her hand as Oliver opened his mouth, 'you've never been able to lie to me, which is why my bullshit detector didn't explode when you said it.'

'I get that you're scared Oliver,' Felicity's mask slipped and he saw a glimpse of her own fear, 'What you've given me here is amazing. What we can do together with Dig and Roy is amazing and I'm terrified everytime you go out there that this is going to be the last time you do.'

'Felicity...' Oliver's lips quirked at the raised finger.

'Not finished,' Felicity sighed, 'I sit here and try not to think about how I might be about to listen to you die, but I come back each night, sit back down there and push away the fears.'

'Now I asked you a very simple question earlier and you gave me,' Felicity flicked the card from the bottle out from somewhere, 'What I thought was a very simple answer.'

'I did,' Oliver shifted, 'I just wasn't expecting you to take us back there. You have no idea how close I came to losing it when I saw you laying there. After EVERYTHING that has happened, the sight of you unmoving with blood pouring down your face almost broke me. It's going to take a long time for me to be able to get past that image.'

Oliver stepped forward, taking one of Felicity's hands in his, 'i gave you my answer and I'm not backing out of this, but does it have to be Guiseppie's?'

'Yes it does,' Felicity rolled her eyes, 'Now go use the frankly amazing shower I paid my own money to get delivered down here and yummify yourself... Not that shirtless and sweaty isn't yummy enough already... Oh God!'

'Never change Felicity,' Oliver laughed as he padded across the lair.

* * *

Slowly opening his eyes, Oliver blinked and took in his surroundings.

'Morning,' Oliver looked down and grinned at Felicity, the blonde frowning, 'What? Do I have drool on my face?'

'No,' Oliver leant down and kissed her, 'just happy.'

'Told ya,' Felicity giggled, Oliver's hand starting to roam under the sheets, 'Oh... Before you distract me, we really need to come up with a better story to tell everyone than us getting together after you gave me a bottle of wine with the words 'I want to shit' on a piece of card!'

'I think we can come up with something,' Oliver pulled the duvet over the two of them, Felicity's loud giggles cut off by a deep groan.


End file.
